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spellbindingtomes's reviews
355 reviews
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
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𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡.
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I felt every single emotion with this book 😭 All My Rage is a perfect testament to how a story can be simultaneously beautiful and heartbreaking. We follow the lives of Salahudin, Noor, and Misbah as they grapple with the weight of their choices and the rippling consequences.
This is one of my favorite books of 2024 and a phenomenal introduction to Sabaa's writing. Through Misbah's story, beginning with her arranged marriage in Pakistan, to her son Sal's struggle to keep their motel afloat in America, to Noor's attempts to escape her controlling uncle's grip, Sabaa weaves a devastating narrative about the price we pay for the things we value most.
The audiobook deserves special mention. All three narrators were fantastic, delivering emotional performances. I will definitely be looking for other books they've narrated.
All My Rage is a soul-crushing story about friendship and love, but most of all about the painful beauty of forgiveness. It both broke my heart and stitched it back together. Misbah, Salahudin, and Noor will stay with me for a very long time.
"𝘋𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘋𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘦."
Though I believe this is such an important read and I highly recommend it, please check TWs, as it deals with heavy themes.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Islamophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Animal death, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Randy Ribay has become an auto-buy author for me and I think it's a given I'll be crying at the end of any book he writes 🥹
Everything We Never Had brilliantly traces four generations of Filipino-American men in the Maghabol family—from Francisco in 1930s California, to Emil rejecting his father's ways in 1960s Stockton, to Chris discovering his heritage in 1980s Denver, and finally to young Enzo mediating family tensions during the 2020 pandemic.
What makes this book exceptional is how Randy weaved together all four narratives. The way he portrayed the wounds passed down through generations was raw and heartbreaking.
One of my favorite things about this book was seeing Chris and Enzo's father and son relationship. It was so moving, and offered a glimpse of healing and hope after decades of familial discord.
𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘺. 𝘐 𝘢𝘥𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘵. 𝘕𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘢 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘐𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘭𝘰.
Randy continues to excel at capturing the Filipino-American experience. Everything We Never Had is a powerful exploration of masculinity, identity, and inherited trauma. It's also a poignant reminder of how understanding our history can help us heal 🤍
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Colonisation, Classism, Deportation, Pandemic/Epidemic